Part 35

“Like pizon,” smiled Almira.

The young editor rose with a slight increase of color. “Look here,” said the girl, whose dimples had deepened as she keenly surveyed him, as if detecting some amorous artifice under his show of interest for her brother. “Dad's gone down to the sheepfold and won't be back for an hour. Yo' might bring--YO' FRIEND--in.”

“He ain't wantin' anything? Ain't dead broke? nor nothin', eh?” suggested one of the brothers dubiously.

Grey hastened to assure them of Jim's absolute solvency, and even enlarged considerably on his Australian fortune. They looked relieved but not interested.

“Go and fetch him,” said the witch, archly hovering near Grey with dancing eyes; “and mind YO' come back, too!”

Grey hesitated a moment and then passed out in the dark porch. A dripping figure emerged from the trees opposite. It was Jim.

“Your sister and brothers will see you,” said Grey hastily, to avoid embarrassing details. “HE won't be here for an hour. But I'd advise you to make the most of your time, and get the good-will of your sister.” He would have drawn back to let the prodigal pass in alone, but the man appealingly seized his arm, and Grey was obliged to re-enter with him. He noticed, however, that he breathed hard.

They turned slightly towards their relative, but did not offer to shake hands with him, nor did he with them. He sat down sideways on an unoffered chair. “The old house got burnt!” he said, wiping his lips, and then drying his wet hair with his handkerchief.

As the remark was addressed to no one in particular it was some seconds before the elder brother replied: “Yes.”

“Almira's growed.”

Again no one felt called upon to answer, and Almira glanced archly at the young editor as if he might have added: “and improved.”

“You've done well?” returned one of the brothers tentatively.

“Yes, I'm all right,” said Jim.

There was another speechless interval. Even the conversational Grey felt under some unhallowed spell of silence that he could not break.

“I see the old well is there yet,” said Jim, wiping his lips again.

“Where dad was once goin' to chuck you down for givin' him back talk,” said the younger brother casually.

To Mr. Grey's relief and yet astonishment, Jim burst into a loud laugh and rubbed his legs. “That's so--how old times DO come back!”

“And,” said the bright-eyed Almira, “there's that old butternut-tree that you shinned up one day when we set the hounds on you. Goodness! how you scooted!”

Again Jim laughed loudly and nodded. “Yes, the same old butternut. How you DO remember, Almira?” This admiringly.

“And don't you remember Delia Short?” continued Almira, pleased at the admiration, and perhaps a little exalted at the singular attention which the young editor was giving to those cheerful reminiscences. “She, you know, you was reg'larly sick after, so that we always allowed she kinder turned yo' brain afore you went away! Well! all the while you were courtin' her it appears she was secretly married to Jo--yo' friend--Jo Stacy. Lord! there was a talk about that! and about yo' all along thinkin' yo' had chances! Yo' friend here,” with an arch glance at Grey, “who's allus puttin' folks in the newspapers, orter get a hold on that!”

Jim again laughed louder than the others, and rubbed his lips. Grey, however, offered only the tribute of a peculiar smile and walked to the window. “You say your father will return in an hour?” he said, turning to the elder brother.

“Yes, unless he kept on to Watson's.”

“Where?” said Jim suddenly.

It struck Grey that his voice had changed--or rather that he was now speaking for the first time in his natural tone.

“Watson's, just over the bridge,” explained his brother. “If he went there he won't be back till ten.”

Jim picked up his India rubber cape and hat, said, “I reckon I'll just take a turn outside until he gets back,” and walked towards the door. None of his relatives moved nor seemed to offer any opposition. Grey followed him quickly. “I'll go with you,” he said.

“No,” returned Jim with singular earnestness. “You stay here and keep 'em up cheerful like this. They're doing all this for YOU, you know; Almiry's just this chipper only on your account.”

Seeing the young man was inflexible, Grey returned grimly to the room, but not until he had noticed, with some surprise, that Jim, immediately on leaving the house, darted off at a quick run through the rain and darkness. Preoccupied with this, and perhaps still influenced by the tone of the previous conversation, he did not respond readily to the fair Almira's conversational advances, and was speedily left to a seat by the fire alone. At the end of ten minutes he regretted he had ever come; when half an hour had passed he wondered if he had not better try to reach the Summit alone. With the lapse of an hour he began to feel uneasy at Jim's prolonged absence in spite of the cold indifference of the household. Suddenly he heard stamping in the porch, a muttered exclamation, and the voices of the two brothers in the hall. “Why, dad! what's up? Yo' look half drowned!”